Swedish webservice, SVD, has published a teaser for their full review of the 2010 Saab 9-5 (pre-production version, of course) which will apparently appear in the weekend's newspaper.
Dippen did actually leave a note about this one in comments but I was too busy today to get to it. ctm has been kind enough to provide some translated pointers, which are reproduced below for your reading pleasure...
Link to original article, in Swedish
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What are you doing in Trollhättan?
- I'm one of the first outside Saab that are allowed to drive a camouflaged version of the new Saab 9-5. This car has production number 15 and is a mixture of a prototype and pre-production car. Then I give feedback to Saab about my impressions. If only Saab make it through the crisis then the car goes on sale next year.
How does it feel?
- It is a big car, but Saab engineers have built a lot of driving pleasure into it and it feels much smaller when seated behind the wheel. It has a direct steering and a rapid response in the chassis. Regarding the quality the Saab engineers have throughout the development period had the Audi A6 as a benchmark.
Is it not just a touched-up Opel Insignia?
- It is based on the same platform, but finally Saab engineers have been able to to build their own solutions into the suspension - things Opel cannot use - and everything visible, both on the exterior and in the interior, is designed in Sweden.
Does it look good?
- Yes, even though it may feel a little big. Especially the rear is harmonic and reminds a little of Aston Martin.
Isn't Saab on the wrong path with the size? Is not all about "downsizing" now?
- My reasoning goes like this. If Saab knew what they know today, they had made it a little smaller. But this car will also be a competitor to cars like the Audi A6, which is equal to 9-5, and is intended to be the flagship of Saab. The idea is that there will be a smaller 9-3 model around 2012.
What about the Inside?
- The start button is located between the seats and the "Saab-esque" cozy feeling. To be a pre-production car the interiors is very well put togehter and the choice of material is up with the best in class. The rear seats and rear legroom is great. Despite the sloping coupe form, there is enough headroom if you are not that tall.
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There's an article at Carscoop about the pre-production versions of the Saab 9-5. It doesn't deserve it's own post. It's written by some slim-hipped metroponce named Phil Alex who thinks it's extremely clever to deliver a substantial critique of a car based on photos (not even an actual drive, as some press are doing) of a heavily clad pre-production version.
Oh, and bashing the crap out of the old 9-5 is par for the course, of course. It wouldn't be a Saab review without a 9-5 bashing. I'm surprised he didn't call the 9-3 a tarted up Vectra just for laughs!
If you've got 5 minutes of your life that you don't need back, click the link, above, then feel free to leave some bile in Phil's, I mean Alex's.......whatever's inbox.
Thanks to Peter S for that link - I think?!
(..yes i'm still a student for 2 more years...)
Chris
It's like decorating advice. Half the things you can do will make a room feel smaller, and the the other half make it feel bigger. What if you like the size of the room in the first place? Any way to avoid stretching or shrinking it?
I hope that something got lost in translation here: "there is enough headroom if you are not that tall."
I am laughing very loudly on the inside... I think we all are and we all know about what :D
Sure, it stacks up nicely against a 4 year-old accord but I think it goes without saying that the current model's glaring shortcomings are a big reason why we're all so excited about this new car.
With any luck, the pre-production reviews will be a hint of future popularity among the big names in automotive journalism. It's about time we had a Saab that can go up against the competition and beat them on their terms rather than the slew of "they're good for a Saab" products that we've had for the last few years.
The one thing that worries me is that they were using the A6 as the benchmark for quality and handling. The current A6 dates back to 2004 or so and it's up for replacement soon. I'd rather see them going over the newer and more competitive products like the new E-class and the XF because those are the cars this Saab will actually have to steal sales from.
This is why your comments, however eloquent and frequently logical, have a habit of consistently peeing me off, Alex.
Yeah, it's an old car. No-one contests that. But ask anyone who buys one this year what they think and I'll guarantee you they love it. I'd be proud to have one.
Rock solid reliable. Heaps of poke. I've never driven one and come away dissatisfied.
I'll be glad when the new one comes, but I'd never disrespect the current model like that.
Sorry mate, but I've bitten my tongue a few times in the last couple of weeks. I don't mean to single you out, but sometimes you just come on a bit too strong.
But then again, his background says, he relocated from one state to another, reasons UNBEKNOWNST to him............
I don't usually comment on general auto-blogs, but today I did.
If you look at the Carscoop pictures, you will notice the NG 9-5 shows quite a lot of similarity to the Aston-Martin V8 Vantage's boot lid design.
So, as far as I can guess, with or without a hatch, the 9-5 will be looking just great.
The old 9-5 IS SUCH an embarrassment.
Just take a seat, smell the leather - and hit the button on the automatic gear lever.
Then you'll know!